Folding davenport.



G. W. HENRY.

FOLDING DAVENPORT.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1913. 1,1 07,423. Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

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n m i w g m g 7/ 6 w nlhk J G. W. HENRY.

FOLDING DAVENPORT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1913.

1 107,423. Patented Aug. 18, 19m

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

THE NORRIs PETERS 60.. PIIO'IO-LITHOH WASHINUTUN. u. c

GUILFORD W. HENRY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FOLDING DAVENPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

Application filed September 9, 1913. Serial No. 788,783.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GUILFORD W. HENRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Folding Davenports, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to folding davenports or couches, and similar articles of furniture, and has for its main object to provide a strong and serviceable folding davenport that can be opened and closed quickly and easily.

Another object is to provide a folding davenport or similar article of furniture that comprises fewer parts than the folding davenports which are now in general use; which is not liable to get out of order; and which can be manufactured at a low cost.

Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a vertical transverse sectional view of a folding davenport constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the davenport closed; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the davenport opened; Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the davenport with certain parts broken away so as to more clearly illustrate the construction of the davenport; Figi is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4L4 of Fig. 2; and Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sectional views illustrating a slight modification of my invention.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, A designates the end frames of the davenport which may be of any preferred design or construction.

1 designates the seat and 2 designates the back. The mattress-support consists of two sections or frames 3 and 4 arranged in such a manner that the frame 3 can be turned over by swinging it upwardly and out wardly so that it will form a continuation of the frame 4 which moves upwardly automatically into the horizontal plane that the frame 3 lies in when the davenport is opened. Said frames are preferably constructed from pieces of angle iron or other suitable metallic members,and the frame 3 has the seat 1 of the davenport permanently connected to same, said frames 3 and i being so combined and arranged that the'frame 3 will lie above the frame 4 when the davenport is closed, as shown in Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of my invention herein shown the means for moving the frame 4: upwardly into the horizontal plane of the frame 3 when said frame 3 is turned over, is of novel construction and is a decided im provement upon the means usually employed in folding davenports for actuating the mattress-support of the davenport in that it comprises only a few rugged parts of simple construction that can be manufactured at a low cost and which are not liable to get outof order when the davenport is in use. Briefly described, said means consists of two movable plates B carried by the end frames A of the davenport and connected to the frames 3 and t in such a manner that the act of turning over the seat frame 3 and arranging it in operative position causes said plates to move the frame 4 upwardly and hold said frame in operative position with relation to the seat frame 3. Each of the plates B is connected with its cooperating end frame A by means of studs 5 and 6 that project laterally through guide slots 5 and 6 respectively, in the plate B, and in the preferred form of my invention as here in shown the studs 5 and 6 above-mentioned are connected to a bar 7 that is connected to the end frame A in any suitable manner, as for example, by means of fastening devices 8. The plates B may either be formed from sheet metal of sufficient strength to prevent said plates from bending or they may be formed from cast metal. The plates B herein shown consist of castings provided on their inn-er sides with laterally projecting flanges 9 that form continuations of the frames 3 and 4: when the davenport is opened and also with ribs or flanges 10 that reinforce and strengthen the plates B and the flanges 9 thereon. I prefer to connect the two plates B at the opposite ends of the davenport by means of a tie-bar 11, as shown in Fig. 3, but this is not essential to the successful operation of my davenport. When the davenport is closed the plates B occupy the position shown in Fig. 1 with the studs 5 and 6 located at one end of the slots 5 and 6 in said plates. The rear edge of the seat frame 3 rests on laterally projecting lugs 12 on the bars 7 which are connected to the end frames, and the front edge of said seat frame 3 is pivotally connected at 13 to each of the plates B, the plates thus serving to support the front edge of the seat frame 3 when the davenport is closed. The front edge of the frame 4 is pivotally connected at 15 to the plates B, and stops or brackets 16 are connected to the end frame'A of the davenport so as to support the rear edge of v the frame 4 when the davenport is closed,

as shown in Fig. 1.

When the seat frame 3 isswung upwardly.

. that is exerted on the seat frame 3 after said seat frame has been turned into such a position that the front edge of same bears upon the lugs or shoulders 17 on the plates B, causes said plates to swing upwardly and forwardly, the plates B being guided in this path by the studs 5 and 6 that project into the ourved slots 5? and 6 respectively, in said plates. In order to move the rear edge of the frame 4 upwardly when the seat frame 3 is turned over and hold said frame 4 in the horizontal plane of said seat frame, 1 have provided links 18 for connecting the intermediate portion of the frame 4 to the plates 13. The links 18 are pivotally connested at 19 to the frame 4, and said links are provided with elongated slots that reeeive laterally projecting studs 20 on the, plates B. During the first portion of the rotary movement of the plates B when the davenport is being opened, the studs 20 on i I said plates simply travel upwardly through the elongated slots in the links 18, but when theyreach the upper ends of said slots the rear edge of the frame 4 will start to move I upwardly so that bvthe time the seat frame 3 has reached a horizontal position the frame 4 will also lie in a substantial horizontal position. I

i The slots 5 and 6 in the plates B are aresh aped throughout the major portion of their length, but at one end of said slots are offsets 5 and 6 that operate to lock the plates B when the davenport is opened, said offsets being so formed that the plates B and the frames 3 and 4- which said plates carry move bodily downwardly and forwardly when the studs 5 and 6 on the bars 7 enter the. offsets at the ends of the slots in said plates. My main object in forming the slots in the plates .B in this manner is to cause the rear edge ofthe frame 4 to move automatically into engagement with stops or abutments that support the rear edge of the 1 clearly in Fig. 4. When the frame 4 is moved upwardly by the plates B during the operation of opening the davenport, the rear edge portion of the frame 4 moves upwardly behind the abutments 7* on the depending arms of the bars 7 just before the studs 5 and 6 enter the offset portions 5 and 6* at the ends of the slots in said plates, and when said studs enter the offset portions of said slots the plates B and the frames 3 and 4 move bodily downwardly and forwardly,

thereby causing the laterally projecting flanges 4 on the side pieces of the frame 4 to lap over the stops or abutments 7 as shown in Fig. 4. It will thus be seen that the rear edge of the frame 4 is firmly supported by the stops or abutments 7 and that the front edge of said frame is firmly supported by the plates B which, in turn, are supported by the studs 5 and 6 on the bars 7 that are connected to the end frames of the davenport. One edge of the seat frame 3 is also supported by the plates B, and the opposite edge of said seat frame is supported by folding legs 21 shown in Fig. 2 which move automatically into an inoperative position when the davenport is closed. a

As shown in Fig. 2, the legs 21 are pivotally connected to the frame 3 in such a manner that the vertically disposed flange of the transversely extending portion of said frame acts as a stop to limit the forward movement of the legs 21 when the davenport is openedup. When the davenport is closed the legs 21 swing downwardly and rest upon the horizontally disposed flanges on the side pieces of the frame 3, as shown in dotted lines-in Fig. 1, such a construction being desirable because it over-' comes the necessity of providing separate stops on the frame 3 for holding the legs 21 in certain positions when the davenport is opened and when it is closed.

A piece of woven wire fabric 22 is connected to the frames 3 and 4 and to the plates B so as to form a support for the mattress, saidwoven wire fabric being preferably attached to the horizontal flanges on the side pieces of the frames 3 and 4 and'to the flanges 9 on the plates B by means of springs 22*, as shown in Fig. 3. It will thus be seen that the plates B not only form the actuating means for the frames 3 and 4 but they also form part of the mattress supporting means and constitute an intermediate section of the mattress-supporting means that is joined to and arranged between the other two sections 3 and 4:, said intermediate section being carried by the endframes of thedavenport and the other two sections being combined with same in such a manner that the actof opening up and closing the top section which carries the seat, causes the intermediate section and the bottom section to move automatically into operative position and back to inoperative position, respectively. In view of the fact that the heads on the studs 5 project laterally beyond the inside faces of the plates B it is necessary to form slots in the flanges9 and 10 of said plates so as to provide suiiicient clearance to prevent the heads on said studs from interfering with the movements of the plates B. When it'is desired to close the davenport the operator turns the seat frame 3 over by raising the free edge of same and moving it rearwardly, and when said frame strikes against the stops 14: on the plates B said plates B will start to move rearwardly and downwardly back to the position shown in Fig. 1, the

stationary studs that project into the arc shaped slots in said plates operating to guide the plates accurately and thus disengage the fianges 4: on the frame 4.- from their cotiperating abutments 7 A davenport of the construction abovedescribed can be opened and closed easily by simply rotating the seat frame 8 about its pivot points, and without going to the trouble of changing the adjustment of the back 2 or moving the mattress-supporting means forwardly preparatory to opening it up. The davenport comprises only a few rugged parts that are not liable to get out of order and which are of such a design that they can be made cheaply, thereby enabling the davenport to be manufactured at a low cost.

The davenport illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 embodies the same features and characteristics of the davenport illustrated in Figs. 1 to a, but comprises additional sections for the mattress support, so as to enable the davenport to be made the same width, approximately, as an ordinary bed. In other words, the davenport illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 is approximately the same length as an ordinary bed, so that the occupant can lie longitudinally of same lengthwise of the two sections 3 and 4 of the mattress support, whereas the davenport illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 is approximately as long as the width of an ordinary bed, and the mattress support of same is made up of a greater number of sections so as to enable the occu pant to lie transversely of same between the end frames A. of the davenport. In the davenport illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 the two sections or frames 3 and 4 of the mattress support are combined with the two movable plates B in practicallythe same manner as open,

davenport is a closed.

the corresponding parts of the davenport shown in Figs. 1 to l, but the mattress support comprises two additional sections or frames 25 and 26 which are combined with the sections 8 and P in such a manner that they form a continuation of same when the davenport is open, as shown in Fig. 6. The frame 26 is approximately U-shaped, and the inner ends of the side pieces of same are pivotally connected to the side pieces 25 of an intermediate extension section or frame that is pivotally connected to the rear edge of the seat frame 3 so that the section 26 will lie horizontally between the sections 3 and 4; and the intermediate extension section or frame 25 will lie atright angles to the section 26 at the rear edge of the seat section 3 when the davenport is closed, as shown in Fig. 5, the side pieces 25 of the frame being connected together by a tie bar 9.? which is pivotally connected to said side pieces.

Intermediate supporting members, C, which preferably consist of castings, are provided for supporting the intermediate extension frame 25 when the davenport is and the extension frame 26 is provided with pivotally mounted legs 21. Said intermediate supporting members C are provided at their upper ends with portions that lie outside of the side pieces 25 of the intermediate extension section, and said. side pieces are provided with laterally projecting studs or pins 28 that project outwardly through elongated slots 29 in the supporting members C.

When the davenport is open lugs 30 that project inwardly from the members G lie underneath the side pieces 25 of the intermediate extension frame and thus support said frame, which, as previously stated, is connected to the frames 3 and 26. v

To close the davenport the frame 26 is first turned into an upright position, as shown in broken. lines in Fig. 6, and the intermediate extension frame 25 is then swung upwardly into an upright position, thus causing the frame 26 to be arranged parallel to the seat frame 3, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 6. Thereafter the insupporting members G are moved rearwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, so that the lower ends of said members will extend flush with the intermediate extension frame 25, the elongated slots 29 in the members C permitting said members to be moved in this manner relatively to the frame 25. The inwardly projecting lugs 30 on the members C are so designed that they embrace the frame 3 and the frame 26when said members are moved rearwardly in the manner previously described, so that the members C serve to lock the frames 3 and 26 together when the After the extension termediate sections or frames 25 and 26 of the mattress support have been folded in this manher the seat section 3 is turned over or moved back to its normal position in the manner previously described in connection with the davenport illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4. The stops or lugs 12 which support the rear edge of the seat frame 3 are of slightly different construction from the corresponda ing seat supporting devices of the davenport shown in Figs. 1 to4, and are so designed that they lie inside of the side pieces of the intermediate extension frame and engage the frame 3 at points'a slight distance in- Wardly from the ends of said frame 3 when the davenportis closed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is:

9 1'. In a folding clavenport or similar article, end frames,- a pair of movable side plates carried by and movably mounted on said end frames, a reversible seat frame pivotally connected to said side plates, a hot- 25 t'omframe pivotally connected to said plates in such a manner that it lies underneath the seat frame when the da-venport is closed,-

means connected to said frames forflsupporting a mattress, and means whereby the seat-frame engages and positively moves said side plates into operative position when said seat-frame is turned over, said side plates in turn moving the bottom frame into operative position;

2. In a folding davenport or similar article, end frames, a reversible seat section, movable side plates on said end frames that carry said seat section and which are so arranged that theseat section will engage and positively move them forwardly when said seat section is turned over, a section of a mattresssupporting means connected to said Y novable side plates .in such a manner that it is moved into and out of operative position a by said plates, and a woven Wire fabric or other suitable mattress-supporting structure connected to said plates and to said sections.

3. In a folding davenport or similar arti- 0 cle, end frames, a pair of movable side plates carried by and movably mounted on said end frames, a reversible seat section pivotally connected to said side plates and adapted to be turned over, means whereby the act of turning over said seat section causes same to engage and bodily shift said side plates up' wardly and forwardly, a'mattress-supporn mg section joined to said side plates in such a manner that it is moved automatically into and out of operative position by said plates, and cooperating means on said side plates and end frames for securely locking said plates when the davenport is open.

4:. In a folding davenport or similar article, end frames, movable members carried by said end frames, a reversible seat section pivotally connected to said members and adapted to be turned over, means whereby the act of turning over said seat section causes same to engage and bodily shift said members npwa-rdlyand forwardly, mattress-supporting section joined to said members in such a manner that it is moved automatically into and out of operative posi tion by said members, independent meanson said end frames for supporting one edge of said mattresssupporting section when the davenport is open, and foldable legs on said seat section; 1

5. In a folding davenportor similar article, end frames, movable plates provided with slots that receive laterally projecting devices on the end frames, a reversible seat section pivotally connected to said plates, a section of a mattress-supporting means pivotally connected to said plates and arranged below the seat section when the clavenpor-t is closed, and stops or abutment's on said plates that are adaptedto be engaged by said seat section so as 'to bodily shift said plates when the seat section is be ing moved into and out of operativeposition.

6. In a folding davenport or similararticle, end frames, movable plates provided with slots that receive laterally projecting deviceson the end frames, a reversible seat section pivotally connected to said'plates, a section of a mattresssupporting means pivotally connectedto said plates and arranged below the seat sect-ion when the davenport is closed, stops or abutments on said plates that are adapted to be engaged by said seat section so as to bodily shift said plates when'the seat section is being moved into and out of operative position, and a wire fabric or other suitable supporting structure connected to said plates and to said seat section and mattress-supporting section."

7. In a davenport or similar article, end frames provided with laterally projecting studs, a pair of movable plates provided with elongated slots for receiving said studs, a reversible seat section pivotally connected at its front edge to said plates and arranged to engage said plates and move them bodily when said seat section is turned over, a frame pivotally connected to said plates so as to formpart of a mattress-supporting'means, and links connected to said frame and provided with elongated slots which receive studs on said plates.

S. In a davenport or similar article, end frames provided with laterally projecting studs, a pair of movable plates provided with elongated slots for receiving said studs, a reversible seat section pivotally connected at its front edge to said plates and arranger.

to engage said plates and move them bodily ice when said seat section is turned over, a frame pivotally connected to said plates so as to form part of a mattress-supporting means, links connected to said frame and provided with elongated slots which receive studs on said plates, and laterally projecting abutments or stops on said end frames that support one edge of said mattress-supporting frame when the davenport is open.

9. A folding davenport or similar article provided with end frames, a pair of plates pro-' vided with elongated slots, laterally projecting studs on the end frames that enter said slots and thus guide and support said plates, a reversible seat frame pivotally connected at its front edge to said plates and adapted to be turned over when the davenport is opened, lugs on said plates that are engaged by said seat frame when said frame is turned over, a mattress-supporting frame pivotally connected to said plates in such a manner that it is moved into and out of operative position by said plates, and a mattress-supporting means connected to said' frames and plates.

10. A folding davenport or similar article provided with end frames, a pair of plates provided with elongated slots that receive laterally projecting studs on said end frames, said slots having ofisets at one end for the purpose described, a reversible seat frame pivotally connected at its front edge to said plates. and a mattress-supporting frame arranged below said seat frame when the davenport is closed and pivotally connected at its front edge to said plates.

11. A folding davenport or similar article provided with end frames, a pair of plates provided with elongated slots that receive laterally projecting'studs on said end frames, said slots having offsets at one end for the purpose described, a reversible seat frame pivotally connected at its front edge to said plates, a mattress-supporting frame arranged below said seat frame when the davenport is closed and pivotally connected at its front edge to said plates, and laterally projecting abutments on said end frames that support the rear edge portion of said mattress-supporting frame when the davenport is open.

12. A folding davenport or similar article provided with end frames, bars connected to said end frames and provided with laterally projecting studs, a pair of plates joined together by a tie member and provided with curved slots that receive the studs on said bars, a seat frame pivotally connected at its front edge to said plates, stops on said plates that are adapted to be engaged by said seat frame when said frame is turned over, a mattress-supporting frame pivotallv connected at one edge to said plates, slotted links that connect said plates to the intermediate portion of said mattresssupporting frame, and abutments on said bars on which the rear edge of said mattresssupporting frame rests when the davenport is opened, the slots in said plates being provided at one end with offsets and said plates being provided with laterally projecting flanges that lie in the horizontal plane of said seat frame and mattress-supporting frame when the davenport is opened.

13. A folding davenport or similar article rovided with end frames, a pair of movable plates carried by said end frames, a reversible seat frame pivotally connected to said plates, means for causing said plates to move forwardly when downward pressure is exerted on the free edge of said seat frame after said frame has been turned over, a mattress-supporting frame that normally lies below said seat frame but which is moved upwardly into the horizontal plane of the seat frame by said plates, and laterally projecting flanges on said plates that lie in horizontal alinement with said frames when the davenport is opened.

14. In a folding davenport or similar article, a mattress-supporting means comprising a bottom section, an intermediate sec tion and a top section that supports the seat and which is adapted to be turned over when the davenport is opened, said sections being so constructed that the intermediate section supports one edge of said top and bottom sections and also moves the bottom section into and out of operative position when the top section is opened or closed, and foldable extension sections carried by said seat section and arranged in such a manner that they lie between said seat section and said bottom section when the davenport is closed.

15. In a folding davenport or similar article, end-frames, a movable structure carried by said end-frames and forming one sertion of a folding mattress-supporting means, a reversible seat section carried by and connected to said movable structure in such a manner that it will bodily shift same into and out of operative position when said seat section is opened up and closed, a separate section of said mattress-supporting means that is principally carried by said movable structure and which is moved into and out of operative position by said movable structure, foldable extension sections that are adapted to form a continuation of said seat section, and intermediate supporting members combined with said exten sion sections in such a manner that they support same in folded position when the davenport is closed. I

16. In a folding davenport or similar article, end frames, a reversible seat section, movable members on said end frames that carry said seat section and which are', st

said seat section is turned over, a section. of

a mattress-supporting means connected to extension section and said seat section to-- 10 said movable members in such a manner that gether when the davenport is closed.

it is moved into and out of operative posi- In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my tion by said members, foldable extension secsignature in the presence of two witnesses, tions connected to said seat section, intermethis fifth day of September 1918.

diate supporting members combined with GUILFORD W. HENRY, the intermediate extension section, and Witnesses: means for enabling said supporting mem- GEO. R. LAnsoN,

bers to be moved into a position to lock said GEORGE BAKEWELL."

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the f Commissioner of latents,

' Washington, D. G. 

